After more than a year without an official leader, the 18,000 Catholics in the 46 parishes of northern Alaska will now be led—for the first time in U.S. history—by an active duty military chaplain. Bishop Chad Zielinski was ordained in Fairbanks on Monday, and was welcomed by a host of priests, deacons, and parishioners from throughout the region.
The ceremony was a unique blend of Catholic and Native traditions, bringing people together all the way from North Pole to Barrow and Nome. While the diocese is still recovering from a dark chapter—more than 100 claims of sexual abuse at the hands priests and church volunteers—parishioners like Michael Welch say this is a time for healing, with the guidance and support of their new bishop.
“Any bishop can walk in and see the problems. He doesn’t have to have his eyes too wide open. He will see them,” said Welch. “What he needs to be shown, and we can help him, is the assets that are at his disposal: the people who in spite of the problems and challenges will help him overcome that.”
To hear more on the new bishop’s ordination, listen to the full KNOM Profile at the link above.
